Can covering machine



July 17, 1934. R, B, STEVENS 1,966,529

CAN COVERING MACHINE 4. INvEN'roR.

July 17, 1934. R B, STEVENS. 1,966,529

CAN COVERING MACHINE Filed Aug. 7, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet `2 Ry. J

.Il VAI-'m 74 Inv E NTo R,

Ra/bh'afleven.

July 17, 1934. R. B. STEVENS 1,956,529

CAN COVERING MACHINE Filed Aug. '7, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 N M m, HM

Patented July 17, 1934 ICE n CAN COVERING. Mannino v rRalph Benjamin-Stevens, Yannouth, Maine gigi apparatus` lis shown as lis vimmediately involved Application Anglet 7,

l 24)v @lai-ms.

This invention relates to canningxinachinery and particularly toi machines for .placing the covers ontl lled cans which are later tobe sealed, the. invention. including various improvements in such equipmentiand its operation'as will be more 'fully set-forth in the. specification which follows.

While many featuresiof myfi'nvention are adapted-to` general use to cansy of various types, I haveselected; for purposesfof illustration'eqiuipment adapted' to the packaging of flaltory oblong cans such as are commonly used-in thesardine industry, the covers. of which'v arerecessed or. sunk below their edges. These covers or tops are usually; oversized' at thefedge leaving a free lip area lateritoibe rolled under as a'seam. This, howlever; isv to be taken as illustrative and is; merely selected because these cans presentvarious char;

acteristi'c problems common to other typesof cans, as well as certainproblems peculiar tothemselves, invention contemplates. lthe handling yof filledv cans; the deposit. and correctipositioning of the covery thereon, andthe ytransfer of the, covered can without disturbing itsl cover:v for further op'- eration asl for example, the closing vof the; cover seam. vTheV proper positioning of thesev covers has always been a matter of difculty. The matter of 'proper presentation ofi-the filled. can, :thev proper separation of' the cover from a stack, the 'proper positioning of the cover4 and theprobablemain.- tenance of the cover or in itsposition on the. can are all matters.r of great importance where cans are to be tightly sealed and operations are to. be carried on smoothly and rapivzllly. f My invention. alsocontemplates certaincorrel'ation of partsv wherebyith'e coversiareonly dropped whena'. can isy present, and also provideszfor the yielding otcertai'n partait andiwheniaz jam occurs as is often the case in the operation ot? such. machinery. f,

In the' accompanying; draw-ingsso much of' the herein andasisr required to; illustrate the'prin.- ciples of my invention. Throughput thespecifica-l tion and drawings like reference nuxneralsarel ernployed toindicate corresponding parts.. and inthe drawings: i f f i Fig..'1is`a1planview of amachinein accordance with` my invention showing the: separator .blades extended into the cover stack.v i .A Y

Fig.; 2 is 'ae fragmentaryplanviewf.,y showing the separa-torblades withdrawn to of thefstack of covers to'vfallon the supports. l Fig. (i'anfragm'entary'partlysectionedV elevation on-.thelinevS-S, Fig.J l.; *Y n .p l

Fig.. 4 is a sectionv through thecanarunway shovf'-,`

1an, No. 555,68;

(or. l11s- 14) the cover-retaining railsbearingVA upon the y cover on the` filled can.f

Fig.. 5` is: a view of. the. rear. end portion of the apparatus. j i

'Fig; Gis a perspective view-ofthe safety release of the feed'slid'er mechanism;

- Fig. '1 isi a fragmentary ysection on line: 12-1-2, 1,. illustratingl amndifcation of the; cover plunger. J

8: shows' amodication 4in. the. cam struc:- ture. tor operating the; apparatus with. the plunger mechanism. shown iny v 'Fig'. 9 shows infragment; the mechanismv illustrated in Fig. 'lgjthey plungersY being shown in their lowermostpositions. e ,l

. Fig. 104 illustrates thezcan with; cover: travelling along the canY carrier with the ton of the: cover engaging the cover retaining; rails'.`

Fig. 1L illustrates perspective theV lever: ar'- rangement for slidefeed of the apparatus., i

Fig'. 1'2 is alcngitudinalpartly sectioned view on the line 12-12, Fig. 1, the covers-beingshown in;thestraclcvvith` one separated; ready to bepushed intothecover dropping portioniof the mechanism'.

Fig'. -1-3 isI a Vfragmentary partly sectioned view through the coverdropping parts; the cover being shownsfully seated ongthecan.`

, Figs.- mand` 1:5 show, respectively,` the positions-of the-parts just previously and subsequently to. the.- se'parating of. the lower cover-*from the rest ofthe stack. Y 2 y -Fig. 16 isV anend .view of" the eccentriccoversupport :which permits of various adjustments ofthe ,distance'vbetween` .the separator blade andthe surface on which the cover is supported. Fig. 1i7-is a.-.perspectiveV showing the relaticnbe tween Ithe. roll supportfor the cover and' thel separator blade.l f'

18 is ai perspective of the separator blade,y and Fig;- A19isa.,modified form ofseparatorrblade;

Ifnwtheapparatus; shown I- haveindicated a bed 1 traversed by a runfway l2 throughxwhichlled cans: aremoved conveyordogs 3..y Above-vthe way 2 is tisuygvported;a-fra-me; 4 having a guide 5' thrQugh'-Which av plungerV 6 visI reciprocated .by a: lever- '7 pivoteclu at18=inr apost 9 supportedjon'the frame 4. At itsopposite end the lever '7 isprovided-` withj a roller. yieldingly pressed: bythe plunger mating v11 against a; cam 12: on the mainv shafrtlr. f l

The shaft 13 i'smountedginbearings 14 and is driven. asfby achain andsprocket 15. The shaft 13 also carries a beveled pinion 16 meshing with afsimilr: pinionl?? ony avcrtical shaft 18.' ,The shaft-.'18 has an rarm*l 19!l vand;roller 20 which en-Y gages the lever 21 yieldingly held retracted by a spring 22. The lever 21 is linked as at 23 to the slide 24 the same being a pusher slide for advancing the lowermost cover from the stack to its position over the can.

The covers or can tops T are held in a stack frame down which they tend to feed by gravity, the lowermost cover of the stack resting on an eccentric stop 31 when separated from the stack by the separators 32. These eccentric stops 31 may be rotated and locked in any desired adjustment by the nut 311. These separators are formed as blades having beveled ends 321 and' projecting points 33 adapted to penetrate between the covers T and cause the separation Aof the lowermcst one while at the same time supporting the rest of the stack. The separators 32 work in slideways 34 being moved by levers 35; The levers 35 are cross connected by links 37, 38, 39, the link 33 being fulcrumed at 381 and having its ends pivotally connected to 3'? and 39 which in turn are pivoted to the levers 35. The levers are rocked on their pivots by a cross slide having a roller 41 engaging a cam 42.

. 'Ihe cross slide 40 is continued across to the edge of the bed l where it is provided with a notch 401 disposed so as `to vbe engageable by the hook end of the bar 43. The bar 43 is attached to a pivoted feeler 44 normally urged inwardly by a spring 45 so that it tends'to enter the run-way 2 through which the filled cans pass. If no can is opposite the feeler 44 the bar 43 is drawn so that its hooked end engages the notch 401 as shown in Fig. 2, in which position the roller 41 is disengaged from the cam 42 and the'separators' thus allowed to fail of actuation so that no top is delivered to the stops 31 so as to be in alignment with the pusher slide 24.

In the operation of a machine of thissort where automatic operation is subjected to many factors of irregularity it is highly important to provide safety factors.

The slide lever 21 represents such a factor and for its relief in case of a jam I provide for its end pivot a special safety release. As shown in Fig. 6, this consists of a pair of jaws 211 pressed together by a spring 212 which yieldably engage the bearing post 21X. vIf there be an obstruction of the pusher slide 24 as by a jam in the feed, thereby causing an abnormal pressure to be exerted on the slide lever 21 by the roller 20 on the arm 19, instead of this increased pressure damaging the obstructed tops it will detach the spring pressed jaws 211 from thepost 21X and the feed of caps stops.

In operation the filled cans C are fed to the run-way 2 in any desired way, being carried along by the conveyor dogs 3 which are advancedin any desired manner. `When a cam is properly positioned under the plunger 6 the slide 24 advances pushing a top T from thestops 3l across the shoulders of the guideway 311 to aposition over the can. Here the edges of the cover or top T are yieldingly held by spring pressed end and side wings which center and guide it when pushed down by the plunger to proper position on the can C. i

These wing guides comprise end and side members as follows. The outer or endguides are pivoted in mounts 51 sustained by springs 52, their lower ends 53 aligning with the upper side of the cover whenseated on the can body as seen in Fig. 13. I

l As the cover descends towards the can body from its elevated position',A as shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 12, its ends engage the faces 54 of these wing guides 50 with a sliding Contact, pressing them outwardly, but when the cover is firmly seated on the can (see Fig. 13) the wings swing inwardly over the cover and hold it in close engagement with the can temporarily or until in the advance of the can along the run way 2 the cover comes beneath the guide rails 21 which thereafter act to maintain this close relationship between cover and can body subsequent Vto their arrival at the closing machine.

The side guides 55 are pivoted at 56 in brackets 57 suspended from the frame plate 4 inside the line of travel of the conveyor dogs 3. They are slightly inclined as at 58 and spring pressed at 59 to grip Vthe edges of the cover or top T when it is thrust betweenv them by the slide 24.

-' The side guides 55 having the upper part of their inclined faces 58 in line with the edge of the cover or top T as advanced by the feed slide support the cover slightly above the end -wing guides 50. This permits an endwise slip or adjustment of the cover 'I' relative to thev can C as well as its lateral positioning.v As will be seen in the section of Fig. 9, the outer edge or rim of .the top T is oversize and aifords no guiding factor in centering the cover. The centering is dependent therefore on the engagement of the inwardly inclined edges of the cover depression with the outwardly inclined edge c of the can itself. Once interengaged these parts remain in correct position hencethe gentle pressure of the rail 21 which maintains this engagement. The slide 24 having forced the rounded corners of the can top T between the side wings 55, the plunger 6 descends causing theV head 61 to engage with the-top T, press it firmly on the lcan C.

In order to hold the can cover down during capping I maysubstitute for the guides 50 and 53 an additional pressing device on the plunger. The plunger shown in Figs. 7 and 9 diiers slightly from the more simple type illustrated in the other figures. It is provided with plunger 71 on which is yieldingly mounted a head '72 and having a slight movement relative to the arms 73 which carryV spring pressedl edge pressers '74. These yield before the main plunger '72 contacts with the depressed portion of the cover T so that they are under a slight compression. When the main portion 72 of the plunger starts to rise to its position as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 9, it is given a chance to clear the edges of the cover while these edges are firmly held in position by the edge Vpressers '74 which continue to exert a slight pressure while the can C is pushed forward and the cover T brought under therail 21which prevents its dislodgment as it is pushed 'along through the way2. Y l I have indicated in Fig. 19 a modified form-,of separator 90 having lateral points 91 and usual central point 92. The lateral points vare provided for `certain. covers which have a tendency'unduly to stick together and thus need more effective separation.

The indicated modifications are illustrative of other variations of the structure shown which will be suggested to those familiar with-this art. What I therefore claim and desire Yto secure by Letters Patent iszi 1. In a can covering devicaa bed having a transverse way for the filled cans a capping station on said way, meansfor moving the cans alongV said way, a cover stack atone side of the way, a pusher slide reciprocable under said stack, means for `supporting the lowermost cover in alignment with said slide, separators for picking :.oi the' lowermost @over and for. supporting the Vfor.seating the cover .on the can. meamtfor yieldingly 'holding the cover .on the can as the 'een :is

.'moved from runder-- the plunger, and means for holding the covers on the cans during movement along the way..

' 2..'In a can lcovering ydevice, afbed having a transverse way having an .overhang .along edges thereof for the filled cans a .capping .sta-

ftion .onsaid way, `means for ymoving the cans 'along said way, ka .cover stack at ,one side of .the way, -a pusher slide reci-procable imdersaid stack, rmeans "for 1 supporting .the 'lowermost cover 4in alignment with said slide, separators for picking off the :lowermost ,cover andfor supporting-the stack above it, lateralguides disposed above the can capping station to receive `a :cover .fromthe `'puslner slide, a `plunger for seating the cover on vthe ica-n, means for yieldingly holding the cover Vonthe can as the vcan isvmoved under the overhang of the way.

A`3. In vva' can .covering device," a bed `havinga transverse Way for the filled cans a capping station on said way, means for moving the-cans along said way, a cover stack at one side of the .wayg alpusher slide reciprocable under Ysaid stack, -means for Vsupporting 'the' lowermost cover in `alignment with said slide, separators for picking off the lowermost cover and for supporting the' stack above it, yieldable lateral guides disposedvabove the can capping station to receive la; cover from the pusher slide, a plunger for seating the 'cover on the can, means forV yieldingly holding the cover on the can as the can is moved v:fromunder the plunger, and means for vholding the covers on the cans during movement along the way. 4;In a can covering device, a bed 'having a transverse way for the lled cans aY capping station on said way, means for moving the cans `along said way, acover stack at one side of the way, a pusher slide reciprocable under said stack, means for supporting thelowermost cover in alignment with said slide, separators for picking oi the lowermost cover and for supporting the stack above it, yieldable means disposed about the can capping station to receive a cover from the slide and support it over the can, and a plunger for seating the cover on the can.

5. In a can covering device, a bed having a transverse way for the lled cans a capping station on said Way, means for moving the cans along said Way, a cover stack at one side of the way, a pusher slide reciprocable under said stack, means for supporting the lowermost cover in alignment with said slide, separators for picking 01T the lowermost cover and for supporting the stack above it, yieldable means disposed about the can capping stationk to receive a cover from the slide and support it over the can, a plunger for seating the cover on the can, and means for yieldingly holding the cover as the can is moved from under the plunger.

6. In a can covering device, a bed having av transverse Way for the filled cans a capping station on said way, means for moving the cans along said way, a cover stack at one side of the way, a pusher slide reciprocable under said stack, means for supporting the lowermost cover in alignment with said slide, separators for picking oi the lowermost cover and `for supporting the moving the .cans along `said way, a coverstack at one side of the way, a lfeed .slide reciprocable vunder said stack, :means for .supporting .the lowlermost cover in alignment with said slide, ,means for Separating the zlowermcst cover from fsaid stack, pivoted feeler g-uides Vdisposed .'above the can @capping station to receive fa cover -from'the slide, a .plunger -forseating thecover on the' can, .a 'leverfor voperating the cover feed A-slide, and means for yieldingly pivoting thecover -feed slide lever. u Y 8. In a -can covering device, a bed having 15a transverse way forv the lfilled cans, means for moving the cans along said way, a cover vstack at one side 'of the way, afcoverfeed lslide reciprocable under said stack, means for supporting the lowermost cover in alignment with said s1ide,rmean"s for separating the lowermost cover from said stack, a pair of pivoted yielding feeler guides disposed above the-can capping station to receive a cover from the slide, a secondv pair -of feeler guides eiec'ti've -below the'plane of said -rs'tmentioned guides, and a plunger for seating the cover on the can. l Y' A 9. In a can covering device, abed `having a transverse way for the lled cans,v meansv for 4moving the cans along said Way, a cover-stack at one-side of the way, a cover feed slide 'reciproi cablevunder said stack, means for supporting the lowermost cover in alignment with said slide, means for lseparating the lowermost cover from said stack, a-pair of pivoted yielding feelerguides disposed above the can capping station" to recel-ve a cover from the slide, .a .second pair of feeler guides effective below the plane o f said first mentioned guides, and a plunger for seating the cover on the can, and means for lyieldingly holding the cover as the can is moved, andmean's for retaining the covers in position on thecans during movement along the way.

10. In a can coveringy device, a bed having a transverse way for the iilled cans including a capping station on said way, means for moving the cans along said way, a cover stack at one side of the Way, a slide reciprocable under said stack, rotatable eccentric stops for supporting the lowermost cover in alignment with said slide members each having a portion acting as a, separator'for picking oi the lowermost cover and a portion for supporting the stack above it when said lowermost cover is separated and positioned on said eccentric stops.

11. In a can covering device, a bed having a transverse way for the filled cans including a capping station on said way, means for moving the cans along said Way, a cover stack at one side of the way, a slide reciprocable under said stack, adjustable means for supporting the lowermost cover in alignment with said slide members each Ahaving a portion acting as a separator for picking off the lowermost cover and a portion for supporting the stack above it when said lowermost cover is separated and positioned on said adjustable means. l

12.`In a can coveringl device, a bed having a iso yfil.-

transverse way for the filled cans including a capping station on said way, means for moving the cans along said way, a cover stack at one side of the way, a slide reciprocable under said stack, means for supporting the lowermost cover in Valignment with said slide, separators for picking olf the lowermost cover, and for supporting the stack above it, a pair of pivoted spring pressed guides disposed above the can capping station to receive a cover from the slide, a second pair of guides disposed below the plane thereof, and a plunger for seating the cover on the can.

13. In a can covering device, a bed having a transverse way for the filled c-ans including a capping station on said way, means for moving the cans along said way, a cover stack at one side -of the way, a slide reciprocable under said stack,

means for supporting the lowermost cover in yalignment with said slide, separators for picking oi the lowermost cover, and for supporting the stack above it, a pair of pivoted spring pressed guides disposed above the can capping station to receive a cover from the slide, a second pair of guides disposed below the plane thereof, a plunger for seating the cover on the can, means for yieldingly holding the cover as the can is moved from under the plunger, and means for retaining the covers on the cans during movement along the way.

14. In a can covering machine, a bed having a way for lled cans, a capping station on said way, means for moving the cans along the way, -a rail extending from the capping station along each side of the way and disposed to overlie the edges of the covers of the cans as moved from the station, and a detent on each side of the capping station and aligned with said rails and normally extending inwardly of the circumference of the caps but yieldable to permit the passage of the cap therepast as it is deposited on the can.

15. In a can covering machine, a bed having a way for iilled cans, -a capping station on said Way, means for moving the cans along the Way, a rail extending from the capping station along each side of the way and disposed to overlie the yedges of the covers of the cans as moved from the station, and a guide pivoted at each side of the way and having a free lower edge normally aligned with the adjacent rail but yieldable to the edges of the cover as it is lodged on the can.

' 16. In a can vcovering machine, a bedhaving'a transverse way, a capping station on said way, a

vertically reciprocating plunger at said station including` yielding edge pressers and a `center contacting portion and having vertical movement relative to each other, and operating means adapted to raise the center contacting portion to clear the edge while the pressers are in contact therewith.

1'7. In a can covering machine, a' bed having a transverseway, a capping station, a vertically reciprocating plungerat said station including yielding edge pressers and a center contacting portion and having vertical movement relativeto each other, and operating means adapted to raise the center contacting portion to clear .the edge While the pressers are in contact therewith, and a rail along each side of said way from said stations, andmeans for moving a covered can from the plunger to the rail prior to the release of 1.

the edge pressers.

18. In a can covering device, a cover stack, a pusher slide 'reciprocable under said stack, an eccentric stop rotatably mounted at the baseA of the stack for adjustment relative to the slide for g supporting the lowermost cover in alignment with said slide, and separators for picking off the lowermost cover and for supporting the stack above it.

19. In a can covering device, a cover stack, 1-

the stack for adjustment relative to the slide for supporting the lowermost cover in alignment with n said slide, and a pair of bevel end separator'slides mounted for reciprocation relative to said stack, and a replaceable separator point carried by the end of the separator slide and disposed centrally j.

thereof.

RALPH BENJAMIN STEVENS. 

